This invention relates to an insulating beverage container for affixation to an adjacent surface and, in particular, to an insulating container having internal ribs for gripping a container placed therein.
The increasing use of pleasure boats and recreational off-road vehicles has generated increasing interest in accessories which enable the participant to engage in multiple activities while enjoying the outdoors. In particular, the ability to provide a stable beverage container holder that maintains the initial temperature of the beverage container over an extended period is a much desired accessory. A variety of different designs for the holders of beverage containers is found in the prior art.
One-type of holder exemplified by the device shown in U.S. DES. 417,593 to Ruegg is a straight-sided receiving sleeve having a sealing ring at the top or open end and a stabilizing foot at the closed end. The holder does not provide a means for affixation to a support surface so that it is capable of movement as the angle of the surface changes.
Another type of beverage container is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,005,752 to LaCour et al. wherein a hard plastic straight-sided receptacle is provided with a concave bottom having a number of stabilizing feet. A suction cup is located in the concave bottom. This type of container relies on a single large area suction cup to secure the container to the surface. Since receiving surfaces are frequently not uniform, the use of a single suction cup is limited in securing the container to the adjacent surface. An attempt to provide a beverage container holder that remains upright during movement or tilting of the surface is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,180,132 to Pearson et al. wherein a flexible suction cup is attached to the base of the container. As the attitude of the surface changes, the suction cup which has a diameter greater than that of a holder flexes without being released from the adjacent surface. This type of container is useful only in connection with uniform surfaces.
To overcome the limitations of a single suction cup provided at the base of a beverage container holder, the use of a plurality of small suction cups attached to a rigid sleeve is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,123,220 to Williams. A bottom plate that contains a number of small suction cups is affixed thereto. The body of the rigid sleeve is generally cylindrical with outwardly angled upwardly extending sidewalls to provide clearance between the holder and a beverage container placed therein. The sidewalls of the holder do not contact the container. Consequently, the holder is not insulating. The combination of a solid base and outwardly angled sidewalls maintain any spillage within the holder.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a receptacle for a beverage container which is both insulating for the container and exhibits stability when attached to an underlying surface. In addition to the insulating feature of the holder, an opening is provided in the base of the holder to facilitate removal of the beverage container.